On Friday, loosened bolts were identified in a high-speed German railway line between the western cities Cologne and Frankfurt. The German police guessed the situation as a sign of an attempt to a ‘possible attack’ after they found loose bolts holding the rails in place.

Wiesbaden police said in a recent statement that the railway bolts had been loosened along a stretch around 80m long. They mentioned that investigations are currently being preceded in every direction and the possibility of an attempted attack cannot be ruled out. However, fortunately enough no harm was caused to any trains or passengers.

Deutsche Bahn, the state-owned rail operator has described the incident as “sabotage”. It was in the early hours of Friday that a high-speed intercity express (ICE) train driver noticed unusual activity in the railway while crossing a bridge in Niedernhausen, just a little outside of Frankfurt.

It was also reported that rails were standing around five centimeters or two inches further apart as compared to the usual distance between them along the section where the bolts have been loosened. There was a possibility of trains passing along the lines to get further derailed with the chance of sending them plunging out of the bridge.

The Frankfurt prosecutors headed by their investigators searched a wide area around the damaged track. They also used a police helicopter to take aerial photos of the area.

The police further added that several trains had already passed over the damaged section before the tampered bolts in the railway were uncovered. The police are also taking additional measures to ensure that there is no further danger on the lines for railways, employees or passengers.